Advantages of Using Herbs and Spices when Cooking DIY Every Girl Should Know and Easy to Make at Home. Herbs and Spices: A Little Goes a Long Way. Ground cinnamon: Chili peppers: Add chopped peppers to chili, burgers, soups, stews, salsa, and egg dishes. Turmeric: Garlic: Add fresh chopped or minced garlic to pasta dishes, stir-fry dishes, pizza, fresh tomato sauce, and meat and poultry recipes. Most of the evidence exists for cinnamon, chili peppers, turmeric, garlic, oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary, Heber tells WebMD. Polyphenols, a type of plant compound, provide one of the main health benefits associated with herbs and spices.